THE acting chief executive of two cash-strapped NHS bodies won't be in the running for the top job when the organisations merge.

Jacqui Harvey had been in charge of Ellesmere Port and Neston Primary Care Trust (PCT) but also took over the running of neighbouring Cheshire West PCT when the bodies began to work more closely.

This joint working became necessary to help achieve economies when the two NHS funding bodies went into the red.

The PCTs will formally merge in October, under the name of West Cheshire PCT, but Mrs Harvey has told staff she will not be considered for the top post.

In a memo sent out last week, she said: 'It is anticipated that, by the end of this week, individual PCT chief executives will be informed about who is in the chief executive 'pool', ie those chief executives who will be eligible to be appointed to the new PCTs.

'Unfortunately, rumours started circulating before I had the opportunity to tell you that I am not in the pool and therefore will not be the chief executive of the new West Cheshire PCT which comes into being from October 1.

'I am sorry if you have heard this news elsewhere, rather than directly from me. I will continue as the chief executive for Ellesmere Port and Neston PCT and acting chief executive for Cheshire West until a formal handover is made to the new chairman and chief executive.

It was earlier this year that the Department of Health confirmed the 303 primary care trusts (PCTs) in England, which buy hospital, GP and community health services for local people, would be merged into 152 larger trusts.

That shake-up will see eight PCTs covering Merseyside and Cheshire, in place of the current 15.

The only change from the proposals put forward last year is the dropping of a controversial plan for a single organisation for all of Cheshire.

Instead, the decision was made to split the county in two, with one for West Cheshire and one for Central and Eastern Cheshire.